I'm here I'm here (and still crazy active!)

What. a. last couple weeks.  It's been a MONTH since I've posted!  No worries Jenistrayning team - I have NOT fallen off the map - in fact, anything but!  I've been kicking ass and taking names and I feel as though I've been finally getting back to full training mode.

Fitness friends I've been everywhere and anywhere over the last several weeks - healthy (and not healthy --- ekkk Vegas #umph).  In any event I wanted to update the good 'ole blog on some happenings in the 'Jenistrayning' camp through May, starting with the OC HALF MARATHON!

I can say there are few moments where you really get excited about being physically fit.  I mean most days I'm happy to be full of energy and that gets me excited.  I enjoy being positive, feeling good and accomplished and making good decisions (for the most part).  The idea that I can get out of bed early and be worked out, showered and changed by 7:30 AM is always a better feeling than when I used to run out the door at this time after waking up 10 minutes earlier, throwing on clothes and rushing to open the office.  For me, the OC Half was a moment where crossing the finish line I felt accomplished.  I sat back (drinking my Stella Artois - my first alcoholic beverage in 30 days) and realized that the number on the scale does not matter.  The carb count, calorie count, lbs lost weekly - it's all obsolete.  What is important was that I am physically able to run 13 miles straight and THAT'S the true accomplishment.  I burned 2,000 calories by noon on the day of the marathon and felt like I was flying.  It was also a good reason to buy myself an "I hate running" shirt - which went over very well day of.

I've truly worked my ASS off for almost two years now and the OC HALF was a true indication of dedication and determination. I'm not getting too ahead of myself but I'm already looking into the LONG BEACH HALF in October and maybe one day will get myself a beach cities medal? 

BIG congratulations to my cousin Heather Breitweiser who completed her first (of many? haha) HALF MARATHONS.  Her and her friend decided to do this months ago and trained a great deal to finish the race.  We crossed the finish line together and I could not be more proud of her accomplishment!

 

Enjoying a NICE cold BREW at the end of a very LONG 13 miles!

IN ADDITION!!

I completed WHOLE 30 in May!  (early May...I know I know, again with the delay on my updates)

Whole30 was an amazing experience.  First of all, my SKIN!  Holey moley - It's AMAZING how much your skin is affected by preservatives and crap in your food.  My skin was GLOWING by week four.  In addition I dropped 6 lbs and several inches - but to be honest, I wasn't really counting.  My hair grew a whole inch in May and my mental state was beyond anything I've experienced since November of last year.  I may have mentioned this in a previous post, but the holidays were rough on me and eating CLEAN whole foods for 30 days straight (with no unpronounceable ingredients) was like natural zoloft.  I highly recommend for anyone up for the challenge...and as my friend Stefanie can tell you it takes persistence and dedication (but pays off very well in the end).  I make much different choices now that I stripped these items from my diet for a month and when I go off the rails and make bad decisions it effects me in a way it should - which I've learned is how the body works. It's a temple and I plan on continuing to treat it as such.
 

 Did you get your tickets to the GUN SHOW yet? ;)

Hmmm what else.  Where to go from here?  Well - this month I embark on 60, 50, 40, 30....You're probably thinking "what the hell are you talking about?"

So to ween back into my 30g or less of carbs a day (as I was hitting it hard this time last year) I've decided to start with 60g or less a day for the first week, 50g or less a day for the second week, 40g or less a day.......etc.  I'm on 50g or less a day and with exception of totally passing out on the couch by 9:30 PM on Memorial Day weekend Friday, I'm getting over the hump and feeling good.  Definition is coming back and will power is kicked in.  This all leads up to my dear friend's wedding in mid-June where I will have a wonderful cheat filled wedding weekend - can't wait!!

Week 3 recap - JONSING FOR BREAD!!

After 21 days (3 SOLID weeks woot woot!) on Whole30....what am I craving most?  A stiff drink??  Actually, no (side note: a Makers on the rocks sounds real good) but ... I'm actually craving BREAD!  Golden brown, crusty rolls, croissants, fluffy tortillas, flat, Hawaiian, bagels... you name it - I'm jonsing for it.  This is probably the first three weeks straight in a long time I haven't had any bread.  I figure - to better understand how to kick this craving - it's best to understand why I feel this way.  What makes up the craving and WHY does one crave?

I was conversing with Tray the other day while stretching post a vicious leg work out... 

"Ummm Trayyyy...how is there sugar in bread?  I mean carbs (as I've come to realize) is sugar right?  ....but bread has the most carbs ever... but bread isn't sweet?  So what is the DEAL here buddy?!"

It was then I got this long winded, totally reasonable, answer that made me understand why bread sugar (or carbs) is more complex then candy sugar.  It actually made me feel pretty good about wanting to have a Reeses Peanut Butter cup next week (even though I probably wont have one because I'm on a roll...oh man, roll...).   

So let's start with what a "CARBOHYDRATE" actually is.  These pesky little things are found in a lot of different foods - healthy and unhealthy.  Last year while on my "I am super woman and I'm going to eat 30g or less a day of carbs" I was shocked to find that there was carbs in EVERYTHING. 8g of carbs in my carrots!?  6g carbs in my broccoli!?  It would piss me off when I would eat bell peppers and "waste" 1/3rd of my carb intake on veggies.  This is when I started to realize there is a difference between good carbs and bad carbs and carbs are everywhere ---- EVEN IN CELERY (2g carb for a large stalk!) 

It's important to note that it's impossible to go without carbs entirely.  Carbohydrates are an extremely important part of a healthy diet.  They provide the body with glucose, which is converted to energy which supports physical activity....AND WHO DOESN'T LOVE PHYSICAL ACTIVITY!!! (sorry for screaming - I'm just a super fan duh...) 

Anyways - I get it - carbs are important but then what makes bread is so bad?  Why can't I eat a huge baguette like every single day and have it be ok?  Boudin is calling my name!  SOURDOUGH!  I want some fresh SOURDOUGH!  It feels bad to eat...it makes me feel bloated and full...but what would actually be happening if I went to Boudin right now and had like 5 sourdough loaves of bread? 

What exactly happens to our body when we 'carb binge'?

Falling victim to the carb binge once or twice (haha I wish!) in my time - I decided to investigate WTF is actually happening to me post the hoagie roll (and ice cream sandwich afterwards eeek!) went down the pipes.  So right after the super awesome spongy loaf and cold counterpart - my pancreas is then kicked into overdrive and sending a flood of insulin to try to sop up the excess glucose that went rushing through my bloodstream because of my binge.  The glucose is actually really good muscle fuel when it's IN the muscles but toxic sludge when it sticks around in my bloodstream.  Since my body is a smart body ;) it knows that this stuff is no bueno and then does everything it can to get it out of there.  This insulin then creates a see-saw effect.  If there is room, the sugar can go into the muscles.  If there is no more room (which is usually the case), it is turned into fat cells where it is stored - as... fat!  gaaaaaspppp!  My body thinks of this as a life threatening situation and stresses to achieve homeostasis by releasing adrenaline.  This explains the heart racing, the uncomfortable feeling, sweating, shakes, flushed, spastic...etc. All this and it's only been an hour to an hour and 1/2 after the co-workers birthday carrot cake! 

By about 6:00 PM after this fake late afternoon birthday shin dig, a tired feeling comes over me.  The glucose has left my bloodstream and I begin to feel sluggish.  THE SUGAR CRASH!  I am beginning to think maybe this is the end of my sugar binge side effects but it's actually far from over.  My immune system has been sent into a tail spin.  The cough that is going around the office, the germs at the super market or at the gym (cause you know, I went there to try to work off extra calories on the treadmill...) I'm super susceptible to sickness!  My immune system is in overdrive working with the sugar I overloaded my body with and not paying attention to fighting the germs around me!  In addition, that night - I sleep like shit.  Literally, tossing and turning all night, waking up once or twice throughout the evening.  I roll out of bed feeling crappy and sluggish the next day.  A carb binge, and the sugar intake from it, can stay in your system for more than 24 hours.  UMPH.  WHYYYYY?!! 

Now that you feel super great about that cupcake you had today, don't worry too too much.  Again, our bodies are smart (especially mine haha) and with a good metabolism: a piece of cake or a celebratory happy hour will not kill you; however - it is good to know what the heck is happening. This is also provides you a good insight as to why balance is key and why going overboard is never good for your body.  It happens...but it's harmful.  

There are a variety of reasons as to why we crave certain things.  The most obvious is usually due to a brain connection: a memory, happy feelings or a good thought associated with the Hans Homemade Ice Cream shop or the Big Stick Popsicles that you had when you were in the after school program...etc.  I have many of these.  My immediate past was full of treats.  My ex-boyfriend LOVED sweets and always enjoyed dessert and cakes and ice cream and cookies... It seems when I'm down and out, I immediately think of the treats we used to share together that made us so happy then.  I want to feel this way and have these good memories back...so I have to work hard to resist the temptation.  The second reason for cravings is from deficiencies.  If we're low in amino acids we can crave foods.  Depending on what we're "low" on - this effects our cravings.  For instance, if we're low in L-tryptophan (which produces serotonin) you may have an afternoon craving for carbohydrates, alcohol or drugs (haha) vs. being low in endorphins which might make you crave comforting or numbing treats. 

So why did Tray make me feel better about eating a Reeses Peanut Butter Cup?  Well, at the end of the day - Simple sugars are broken down and digested very quickly.  These simple sugars (sugar, fruit juice, milk, yogurt, candy, maple syrup...etc.) contain very few essential vitamins and minerals.  Does this mean I should I go to Target and grab a bag of Cadbury Creme Eggs for .33 cents on their post Easter special isle?  (YES, .33 cents...dammit...)  No...but if I DID partake in a nice treat I would be able to work it off with some good 'ole cardio easily.  If I had a bunch of complex carbohydrates (whole grain breads, oatmeal, legumes, brown rice, wheat pasta...etc.) it will be a bit harder to get rid of.  Sure, healthy complex carbs are the body's preferred source of energy; however, they take longer to digest and are packed with fiber, vitamins and minerals.  They like stick around a bit more trying to figure out where to go and what to do within your system.  No - Cadbury Creme Eggs are not better than whole wheat pasta; however, they all work differently within your body. 

I'm going to repeat this to myself and hope it works.  Asparagus tastes like chocolate! Asparagus tastes like chocolate! Asparagus tastes like chocolate! Asparagus tastes like chocolate! Asparagus tastes like chocolate! Asparag....

Oh 85 degrees Mango bread - you're so good.

Nike Training Club - Santa Monica!

On March 15th 2014 I became a proud member of the NTC (Nike Training Club)  How did I stumble across this event?  Being an avid Nike fan - I browse the website often.  I wish I could buy a pair of FreeRun weekly or their quarterly crops that have amazing patterns and colors. Many times I add them to my cart and X out of the site before purchasing.  I think of it as a fun hobby.  Well, around late February I was browsing the Nike home page and came across the NTC “Nike Training Club” ad for the Santa Monica conference.  Having limited to no idea what it was I browsed through everything I could find, paid the $70 and signed up.  Other than somewhat breaking my toe (and playing a soccer game on it causing me to hobble about town) I was ready to check this event out...by myself and in my favorite FlyKnits. 

Upon arriving there was a red carpet and mannequins showcasing the newest Nike clothes coming out in the near future.  ALL of them were amazing and looked awesome with their bright neon colors and cool styles.  Everyone in line was looking active and healthy.  The volunteer that signed me in said that when I head into bag check and get in line for my “Fuel Band” I can talk to the concierge about changing my sessions to be friendly to my poor pinkie toe.  Yes, you read that right...when I got in line for my Nike FUEL band.  They were giving every athlete attending a Rose Gold Limited edition Nike Fuel band.  Upon gawking at the idea of this, the volunteer said, “Well, that’s Nike for you...”

While in line for my band I was lucky enough to be ahead of a girl who is currently working her body to do a fitness competition.  She works for Whole Foods managing their ‘Healthy Starts Here’ campaign.  What a job - testing healthy foods!  She is a super fan of Nike so her work let her take a free ticket to the event.  Luckily for me, she was there solo too so we hung out throughout the day.  

The people working the event were so nice to help me get the sessions I wanted (due to my bum toe) which included a Barre class, an AB intensive session and an all around band resistance class on the main stage with the head Nike trainer.  All classes were awesome.  In fact, at the barre class - I got free Nike barre shoes which retail at $110!  Dammit, this was a score for me. The other classes I didn’t / couldn’t do were Barry’s Boot Camp, Spin Class, Yoga, Derek Hough did a dance class and a handful of other ‘sessions’.  Gaby Douglass (Olympian) was also there and she did a Q&A session you could sign up for.  I didn't get to see that but I got to meet her and joked about trying to put my leg above my head which didn't quite work very well - haha!

They had a braid/nail station for the girls, photo booths, the newest shoes for you to wear and try on through the work outs, healthy awesome food all day and the sand of Santa Monica as the back drop.  People flew in from all over and every single person - fit, thick, athletic, runner, yogi and cross fit goo roo alike - was having a great fit day.  It was an inspiring event to say the least and if you have a chance to go - I highly recommend looking into being a part of the NTC!

Until the next training event Nike - I'll just be browsing your sale section and buying too many work out clothes!